Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/476

 450 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Hardy Family PROliABLY the besl-known South Austrnlian wuie is that made by Messrs. Thomas Hardy & Sons, Limited. To obtain a reputation of this kind in a new country is no small achievement. Perhaps there is no more conservative person than the wine- drinker. An unknown vintage of a better quality may be offered to him, but if it come from anywhere outside the fashion- able manufacturing countries, he will have none of it ; and he must be somewhat courageous who will deliberately and openly j)lace a new wine on his banquet table. Let it be as e.Kcelhmt as possible — the guests will, as a rule, let it severely alone. Although it has been proved times and again that South Australian wines are of a higher quality than many of those grown in the better-known wine countries of Europe, they are often looked upon with suspicion or apathy in the world's markets. It was only by great persistency and courage . that South Australian makers obtained any hold at all upon the home trade. By a careful and systematic pushing they have at length reached the consumer ; and although the demand is not as yet commensurate with the excellence of the ware, the initial steps, at any rate, have been taken in the direction of finding a good market in England for South Australian wine.s. In the attainment of this end, so far, the firm of which Mr. Thomas Hardy was the founder has taken a leading part. For over 40 years Mr. Hardy has been engaged in wine-making in South Australia, and during that period he has naturally obtained an extensive knowledge of the capabilities of Australian soils for viticulture, as well as the suitableness of Australian atmo.spheric conditions. Mr. Thomas Hardy was born near Honiton, Devon, on January 14, 1830, and while yet a young man, in 1850, he came to South Australia. Soon after his arrival, the Victorian gold-diggings attracted general attention, and created great excitement throughout